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• Nitrate is commonly detected in shallow ground water aquifers of the Central Valley. Application of fertilizers, livestock waste, and untreated septic tank waste can all contribute to nitrate in ground water. Nitrate is mobile and tends to accumulate in shallow ground water zones. Based on work in the Sacramento Valley from the early 1900s, it is estimated that under "natural' conditions, ground water contains nitrate at concentrations no more then about 13.5 mg/L-NO3 (3 mg/L-N). Nitrate may be increasing in areas with concentrations of 24.75 mg/L-NO3 (5.5 mg/L-N) or more (Hull, 1984). The US EPA has set the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for nitrate as nitrogen at 10 mg/L (45 mg/L- NO3). Although nitrate is a naturally-occurring compound necessary for plant growth, it can cause health problems when present at high levels in drinking water. The most common health effect of nitrates in water is methemoglobinemia, or blue baby syndrome, which results in reduced oxygen supply to vital tissues. Pregnant women and certain others can also develop methemoglobinemia. Symptoms include a bluish color of the skin, as well as headache, dizziness, weakness, and difficulty breathing. Ingestion of high levels of nitrates over time can also lead to gastric problems. DBCP is a nematocide and soil fumigant for vegetables and grapes. It is known to cause male reproductive effects and is classified as a probable human carcinogen. Most domestic use of DBCP was discontinued in 1977 through 1979. The US EPA set the MCL at 0.2 parts per billion (ppb, equivalent to µg/L) because it believes that given • present technology and resources, this is the lowest level to which water systems can reasonably be required to remove this contaminant should it occur in drinking water. The Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) for DBCP is zero. The laboratory analytical results are attached as Appendix 5 of this report. Soil Profile and Geologic Information The Site is mapped on the Geologic Map of the San Francisco-San Jose Quadrangle (Wagner, et. al., 1991). It is depicted within a map unit of the Modesto formation (Plate 7). The surface and near surface soils located at the Site are reported by the Web Soil Survey(USDA, 2017) to be composed of Archerdale clay loam and Hollenbeck silty clay (Plate 8). The table below presents some selected properties of these soils: • LOGE 1826 Page 5